Hello, my name is Michelle, and I am fundraising to seek justice for my little 8-year-old Jack Russel dog named Millie. Millie was euthanised in May 2024 due to a veterinary surgeon's negligence at the Vets Now practice in Dundee, Scotland. Millie had recovery fluid inserted into her lungs rather than her stomach, which ultimately killed her.

Many pet owners have experienced or heard of cases where animals have been let down by poor veterinary care, including neglect, incorrect procedures, or negligence. In my own case, veterinary negligence led to the devastating loss of my pet, Millie, after I was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to have her put to sleep. Greater accountability is needed to prevent other animals and owners from experiencing the same outcome.

For months, I have been asking Vets Now for one simple thing — an apology.

Despite solicitors and the RCVS being involved, none have been given.

My dog Millie was under their care for four days. The bill came to over £10,000, and in the end, I was forced to make the most heartbreaking decision any pet owner can face — to have her put to sleep.

Under current UK law, pets are still legally treated as property.

This means that when negligence happens, there is no compensation for the pain and suffering caused to the animal or the owner. Our pets are family, yet the law treats them the same as damaged belongings.

That is why I have started a petition to modernise UK law so pets are recognised as living beings, not property. There must be real accountability when animals suffer harm.

Vets Now even asked me to justify why I had taken three days off work.

The first day was to be at the vets with Millie while she was critically ill.

The second day was the day I had to make the devastating decision to have her euthanised.

The third day was to take her to the crematorium to be cremated.

Despite explaining this, they said it was not a sufficient reason and refused to reimburse the wages I had lost.

Even more upsetting, while Millie was dying, I was initially refused access to see her because the practice said they were short-staffed. It took nearly an hour of pleading on the phone before I was finally allowed to see her — and even then, I was allowed just 10 minutes with her.

No pet owner should have to beg to be with their animal in their final moments, and no one else should have to go through what Millie and I did.

After everything that happened, Vets Now has offered me £3,600 as a “goodwill gesture.”

Please sign and share the petition when it becomes available so we can push for change and better protection for our animals.

To take a veterinary surgeon or practice to court, you must prove negligence. The only way to do this is by paying another specialist vet to review the case and provide expert evidence. This process alone can cost thousands of pounds, as it requires legal representation and an expert witness report. For many pet owners, the cost of seeking justice is simply out of reach.

I am doing this for my Millie, and for every pet owner who has ever felt let down by the very professionals they trusted to care for their animals.

Something has to change. There must be accountability.

I am absolutely devastated and disgusted that someone could cause such harm to my Millie, resign just three weeks later, and seemingly walk away without consequence. Our pets deserve better than this, and so do the people who love them.

A precedent needs to be set so that this cannot continue to happen.

Vets Now operates hundreds of practices across the UK and generates millions of pounds in revenue each year. But financial success should never place a company above accountability. No organisation, regardless of its size or resources, should be able to avoid responsibility when neglect or negligence harms our pets.

Any help or support you can give towards this fight means so much. I am fighting not only for Millie, but for every pet and owner who deserves better. Together, we can push for change so that vets can no longer avoid responsibility when animals are harmed.